Sesame oil facts for kids
Sesame oil is a special oil that comes from the sesame plant. It's a type of vegetable oil. People use it a lot in cooking, especially in Asia.
History of Sesame Oil
The word "sesame" comes from old words like Arabic simsim and Egyptian semsent. The ancient Egyptians even wrote about semsent in a very old scroll called the Ebers Papyrus.
One of the first stories about sesame comes from an Assyrian myth. It says that the gods drank sesame wine before they created the Earth!
The sesame plant, Sesamum indicum, first grew in the East Indies. People started using sesame over 5,000 years ago, around 3000 B.C. The Chinese used sesame oil for light and to make ink.
Later, people brought sesame seeds to America. They called them benné seeds. These seeds became popular in many southern dishes. For thousands of years, sesame seeds have been an important source of food and oil. Even today, sesame oil is a main cooking oil in the Near East and Far East.
Buying and Storing Sesame Oil
When you open a bottle of good sesame oil, it should have a strong smell. The oil itself should be a bright brown or gold color.
It's best to keep sesame oil at a temperature between 18 to 22 °C (64 to 72 °F). If it gets too cold, the oil can become solid and lose its nice smell.
Sesame oil can go bad if it's left in the air or sunlight. So, it's a good idea to keep it in a dark place, like a cupboard or on a shelf. A dark brown bottle is better than a clear one because it protects the oil from sunlight. Always make sure the bottle is closed tightly to keep air out.
The price of sesame oil can change based on a few things. How much oil is in the seeds is important. Most sesame oil has about 40% to 55% oil content. The more oil it has, the higher the price. Where the oil comes from also affects the cost. Oil made in a big factory might cost less than oil made by a farmer in a small village.
Images for kids
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White sesame seeds, mostly unshelled.
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Extracting sesame oil by a bullock driven wooden press (Myanmar)
See also
In Spanish: Aceite de sésamo para niños
